THE NAMES OF COLORS IN THE SYSTEM OF VALUES OF THE SOVIET SOCIETY (in the Dictionary of the Ukrainian Language in 11 volumes)

Abstract

Introduction. The paper is devoted to the study of semantic innovations and peculiarities of the lexicographic interpretation of lexical units used to designate colors in Soviet times based on the analysis of the materials of the “Dictionary of the Ukrainian Language” in 11 volumes(1970–1980). The importance of this research is caused by the need of a thorough study of the influence of Soviet ideology on the semantics of words from various thematic groups, including those perceived as non-politically significant having initially neutral meanings.Purpose. The aim of the paper is to analyze the influence of Soviet ideology on the lexicographic description of the names of colors, to study the functional-semantic transformationsof the lexemes denoting the names of colors, that was induced by socio-political factors of the Soviet period.Methods. The investigation is grounded on the methods of descriptive and componential analysis, as well as contextual analysis.Results. It has been found out that the names of colors became ideologically connoted under the conditions of functioning in the Soviet totalitarian discourse. First of all, the changes were found in the semantics of archetypal color names such as red, white and black, as well as golden. Expansion of the compatibility of analyzed lexemes and formation of new figurative and symbolic meanings in them have been revealed. Changes in the antonymic relationshipsbetween the words used to designate colors as compared to their traditional semantic relationships in the national world view have been established.Analysis of vocabulary items aimed at revealing the semantic content of color names enabled to determine the lexicographic methods of their ideologization, namely, their use in the definitions and illustrative material of ideological-evaluative adjectives, pejorative components, illustrations from authoritative in the Soviet society sources characterized by an expressive valuation from the communist ideology point of view, use of contradistinction.Conclusion. Consequently, the names of colors in the Soviet period became the bearers of a distinct positive or negative valuation conditioned by ideological factors. They were verbal expressions of the value priorities of society and contributed significantly to the dissemination of mental stereotypes and the formation of the official linguistic picture of the world.